Montana State University proposes to acquire a Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter (FACS System) through the Biomedical Research Support Shared Instrumentation Grant Program. An instrument of this type is not available in the State of Montana and the researchers at MSU and in Montana do not have easy access to FACS instruments which are located at institutions in adjacent states. The acquisition of the FACS is very important to the continued development of and maintenance of competitive quality research in the biomedical sciences at MSU. MSU will establish a Cytometry Laboratory. The "centerpiece" of the Cytometry Laboratory will be the FACS. It is proposed as a statewide facility which would be accessible to biomedical researchers throughout the State of Montana. Priority for use would be for researchers at MSU currently supported by NIH competitive grants and others with research projects applicable to the technical requirements of the FACS system. The major user group is comprised of researchers from three different departments at MSU with research applications using bacteria, yeast, parasites, lymphocytes and neurosecretory cells. Other on campus users propose to use the FACS to study Interleukin 2 production in the bovine and to investigate the genetics of osteopetrosis in the bovine. The projects proposed by the major user group and other users have significant applications to human health ranging from developmental neurobiology and congenital diseases of the skeleton to the immunobiology of immune responses and the carcinogenicity of environmental mutagens. The availability of the FACS system to researchers at MSU and in Montana will facilitate the application of "state of the art" technology to enhance specific on-going research and will provide new technology for the development of future proposals.